Xe A GENERAL HISTORY
Thus do thefe vbyfigerslive, year after year, entirely upon fife, Without
even the quickening flavour of fait, or the variety of any farinaceous
root or vegetable, Salt, however, if their habits had not'( rendered it
unneceflary, rnight%e obtained in this ebaiitry to the Weftwsarii.sfthe
that of.the Slave RiveSr, from A e
numerous falt-ponds and fprings to be found there, which will fupply in
any^quaiitity,'in a ftath of cbncretiorir and perfe&ly white and clean.
When the Indians pafs that way they bring a final!Quantity to the.fort,
with other articles of traffic.
During a fhort period of; the fpriag andfell, great numbers of wild
fowl frequent this country, which prove a very gratify ing
a long privation of flefe-meat. It is remarkable, however, that the Canadians
who frequent the Peace, Saflratchiwine, and Afenfepip rivers*
and live altogether on venifon, have a left healthy appearance than thofe
whofe fuftenance is obtained from the waters. At the fame time the
fcurvy is wholly unknown among them.
In the fall of the year the natives meet the traders at the forts, where
they barter the furs or provifions which they may have procured t they
then obtain credit, and proceed to hunt the beaver?, and do not return
till the beginning of the year when they are again fitted out in the-
fame manner and come back the latter end of March* or the beginning
of April. They are now unwilling to repair to the beaver hunt until the
waters are ; clear o f ice, that they may kill them with fire-arms, which
the Chepewyans are averfe to employ. The major part of the latter
return to the barren grounds* and live during the fummer with their
relations
relations and friends in the enjoyment of that plenty which is derived
from numerous herds of deer. But thofe of that tribe who are moft
partial to thefe defarts, cannot remain there in winter, and tfiey.qre
obliged, with # e deer,/to ;takfe Ih^fér m theiWPPds during that rigorous
feafon, when- they cdhtrrve tp kill a few beaver?, and fend them by young,
men, to exchange- for iron utenfils and ammunition.
Till the year 1782, the psopleiof. Athabafca fent or carried their furs
regularly toFortuChurehill, Hadfon’s Bay; and fomê of them have, fmee
that time, repaired thither, notwithftanding. they could have provided
themftlves with all the neeeffarres which they required, The difference
of the price let on goods here mid at that faftoty, made it an objeft
^ith the Chepewyans, to undeMake a j oumey .of five, or fix months, m
theCourfe of which they were reduced; to the moft painful extremities,
atid bftfeh loft their lives from hunger and fatigue. A t prefect, howeyer,;
this traffic is‘ in a great meafure dhcontkiued, pa they were obliged
tb expend* in ihfe courfe of their jouifhey, that very: ammunition which
- was its moft alluring objeft., <
Some Account o f ike Knisfenêaux Indians.
THESE people are fprea.d over a vaft extent of country. Their
language is the fame as that of the people who inhabit the coaft of
in 2 Britifli